In the Hazelnut Gazebo
by Midground
Summary: Bonnibel Bubblegum encounters an intriguing stranger at the annual Nut Ball. Set long before Finn and Jake began adventuring in the land of Ooo.
1. Chapter 1

This story was written using the Big Damn Table from the Fanfic100 challenge community (see here at fanfic100 . livejournal . com / profile).

**Author's Note:** I have reason to believe that age is not as straightforward in the AT universe as people might think. The way I see it, the physical age of the character doesn't necessarily correspond to the number of years they've been alive. For example, Candy People have two ages. They have their age in human years, which is the normal progression of time, and then they have their age in Candy Person years which depends on how much Candy Biomass they have. I plan on writing a story about this idea in the future, but for now, I hope this explanation prevents anyone from getting confused when I start doing wacky things with age in this story.

**Rating:** T for later parts of the story, just to be safe.

**Prompt:** #25 Strangers

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><p>It was the eve of the annual Nut Ball, one of the most highly anticipated events in the Candy Kingdom. The question on everyone's minds was whether or not the young Duke of Nuts could manage to throw as spectacular a soiree as his father before him. Lord Humphrey had passed away just 2 months ago in an unfortunate encounter with a rampaging nut cracker beast, leaving his only son and heir to inherit his title and, more importantly, his party-throwing responsibilities. The new Duke had promised that this year's Ball would be one for the history books. Everyone in the Candy Kingdom was invited and everyone could hardly contain their excitement. Everyone, that is, except for Lady Bonnibel Bubblegum, heir to the Candy Throne.<p>

As the sun sank closer and closer to the horizon, Bubblegum sat alone in her room, ignoring her freshly pressed dress that was laid out and waiting for her. The castle was a flurry of activity, and Bubblegum could hear the endless tread of footsteps outside of her door as servants, guards, and other Candy People raced back and forth through the halls in their haste to complete their duties and head to the Ball. Her room was an island of calm amidst the chaos, and Bubblegum rested forlornly on her windowsill, looking out over the mass exodus of Candy People heading towards the Duchy of Nuts. She sighed despondently and turned her face away from the festive atmosphere outside, determined to enjoy her gloom.

A peremptory knock on the door shattered that hope, and moments later Princess Celia Cotton Candy strode in. The Princess stood just an inch shorter than Bubblegum (if you didn't count the hair) and for the occasion, she was resplendently garbed in a deep purple dress that flowed to the floor and shimmered slightly under the lights. She was quite beautiful, and if not for the tell-tale laugh lines that furrowed the corners of her eyes and mouth, one might almost mistake her for Bubblegum's sister. But that was most certainly not the case, and the Princess stood in the doorway, one hand on the knob, tapping her foot impatiently.

"Hello Mother," Bubblegum greeted with trepidation.

"Bonni, what in Ooo are you doing? We're supposed to leave in 10 minutes." The Princess took a step into the room and her eyes fell on the forgotten dress. "You're not even dressed yet! And just look at your hair! This won't do at all, I'm going to have to call Marzipan Governess in here to get you ready..." she turned and drew in a breath to summon the governess.

"I'm not going." Bubblegum said flatly.

Her mother let the breath out in a huff and turned back around. "Not going?" She repeated incredulously, "Why of course you are dear, you love the Nut Ball. Why ever would I keep you from attending?" She turned again to call for Marzipan.

"No Mother, I mean I don't WANT to go!" Bubblegum shouted, feeling childish, but determined to get her way.

Cotton Candy Princess turned once again and finally let go of the door, allowing it to swing shut on the bedlam outside the room. "Bonnibel Bubblegum, our family has been attending the Nut Ball for hundreds of years, ever since the Duchy of Nuts was created by your grandmother in the years after the Mushroom Wars. And it's your favorite social event of the year! What do you mean you don't want to go?"

Bubblegum turned away so that she was looking out through the window again. "I just... think it's going to be boring, that's all," she grumbled.

"Hmm." Her Mother stepped closer and sat on the edge of Bubblegum's bed next to her dress. "I wonder, is this about the PARTY or is this about the host?"

Bubblegum turned to her mother quickly, eyes narrowed in anger, "Well, everyone knows that Walter can't POSSIBLY throw a better Nut Ball than poor Lord Humphrey could!" she spat out. She glared fiercely for another moment, then her lips began to quiver and she dissolved into tears. "Oh Mother, how could he do this to me? It doesn't make any sense, we were PERFECT for each other!" Bubblegum wailed. Her mother opened her arms and Bubblegum got up from the windowsill and ran to her, curling against her side and sobbing into her dress.

"Oh Bonnibel," Celia sighed, rubbing her daughter's back soothingly, "I know how it feels that first time you fall in love. I've told you the stories about Billy and myself. But, really gumdrop, perfect for each other? You and little Walter? Oh, I suppose I should be a bit more formal now..." Bubblegum looked up at her with watery eyes and sniffled. "Bonni, I know it's hard, but Lord Walter has responsibilities now. He's become Duke much sooner than anyone could have anticipated and that's a huge adjustment. Why, just 2 months ago, he was only 16 without a care in the world, and now he's 18 with a Duchy to look after and big shoes to fill. And who knows, he needs an heir. He might be shooting up to 25 or 30 in the next year or so. You two are just at different points in your life now, gumdrop." She paused, continuing to hold Bonnibel close. "As to the two of you being perfect for one another well... to be honest Bonni, I never thought that Walter was right for you. Why, you have so much spirit and fire, you need someone a lot stronger-willed than Walter to compliment you." Bubblegum sniffled again.

"First loves are always the hardest, especially when it ends," Celia continued, "But just as you wouldn't end an experiment with a conclusion drawn from an insufficient data pool, you can hardy say that Walter was perfect for you when you've only experienced love once. There will be others out there, Bonni, and soon you'll move past this pain and be ready to give your heart to someone new."

"That's quite a logical way of putting it Mother," Bubblegum conceded. Her mother certainly did put forth a reasonable argument, and one that Bubblegum had refused to consider in the weeks since she had been dumped.

"Well, you had to get that science-y brain from somewhere, and it certainly wasn't your father!" Celia quipped. Bubblegum finally smiled. "Ah, there's my gumdrop!" The Princess said warmly. "Now, what do you say we get you ready and get to that Ball? We'll get you all dolled up and prove to that lousy Duke that we're getting along just fine without him, and that he ought to be grateful that we even bothered to show up at all!" Bubblegum sat up and her mother swept to her feet. "I'll inform Peppermint Butler that we'll be running fashionably late and send in Marzipan. That is, if that's alright with you, dear?"

Bubblegum smiled and wiped the last of the tears from her eyes. "Yes, that sounds good Mother. Thank you."

"Of course Bonni," Celia smiled tenderly. Then she marched to the door, flung it open, and called out "The Lady Bonnibel requires the IMMEDIATE services of Marzipan Governess!" The flow of activity halted for a moment, then suddenly surged in a single direction as the order was carried down the hall and servants took off on a new mission. Celia looked back at Bubblegum and winked, then closed the door behind her.

Bubblegum stood then and pulled her dress on. It was a new one, a light blue version of her mother's, strapless and shimmery. She had been so excited to wear it to the Nut Ball when she first saw it, it would have been a crime if she had stayed home and moped. Bubblegum was glad that her mother had helped her to see reason.

That woman was right about all of it. It hardly made sense that she and Walter were perfect for one another. Bubblegum always had to push him to express his opinion and to challenge her ideas (the true heart of scientific inquiry) and he was so resistant to lively debate. He annoyed her so much, but she had looked right past it because she loved him.

Marzipan Governess burst in then and bustled over to her, herding her to the vanity and beginning to quickly fix up her hair while Bubblegum dabbed at her face to hide the effects of her latest bout of tears.

She was so tired of crying over Walter. It would (hopefully) be years before Bubblegum took the throne and became 18 as well, and who knows where Walter would be in his life at that point? As Duke, he needed a wife and an heir, and Bubblegum was NOT ready to be a mother, let alone 25 or even (eww!) 30! She wasn't even ready to be 18! Logically, breaking up was for the best.

But that didn't mean he couldn't suffer just a little bit for putting her through the misery she'd been in for the past few weeks. She was going to hold her chin high, go to the Nut Ball, and make the Duke of Nuts regret (just a little bit) that he had dared to dump the future Princess of the Candy Kingdom.


	2. Chapter 2

Night had truly fallen by the time Peppermint Butler pulled the carriage into the courtyard of the Nut Castle. A slight wind bent the tops of the walnut trees and gently stirred Bubblegum's hair, which cascaded over her left shoulder in soft waves. She shivered and Celia touched her hand and offered an encouraging smile. Bubblegum smiled back, but inside her stomach was twisting painfully. This would be the first time she saw Walter again since the breakup. He would be older – older than she was! – and he might even try making small talk all night out of some misplaced notion of courtesy. The conviction and certainty she had felt back in her room had dissipated over the course of the carriage ride, and now all she felt was a gnawing anxiety.

Peppermint Butler jumped down from the carriage and opened the side door, bowing to the Cotton Candy Princess as she descended regally, then to Bonnibel as she followed somewhat less gracefully. Celia turned to their most trusted servant, "Thank you, Peppermint dear. As soon as you take care of GummyHorse, I command you to go and enjoy yourself! This is your night for celebration as well."

"Yes, your Majesty," Peppermint Butler replied with a bow. He closed the carriage door, hopped back on, and shook the reins to get GummyHorse moving towards the stables on the side of the castle.

Celia then took Bubblegum's hand. "Well, shall we gumdrop?"

"Of course, Mother," Bubblegum murmured, following her mother's lead as she strode towards the entrance.

Cashew Butler must have been watching for them, because the door swung open before they could knock. "Greetings your Majesty! Lady Bubblegum!" He gushed. "Do please come in, the Duke has been eagerly waiting for your arrival!" Mother and daughter stepped into the grand hall, which was shockingly and echoingly empty. Cashew Butler shut the door behind them and then stepped around in front of the two royal ladies. "If you'll both follow me please," he requested. They began walking through the empty room towards a corridor off to the right. "Due to the high number of invitees this year, the Duke thought it best to move the Ball to the back gardens," Cashew Butler explained. As they worked their way through the halls of the Nut Castle, Bubblegum began to feel a strange vibration that started as a pulse in her bones. It grew stronger as they moved towards the back of the castle until it was accompanied by a low, steady thrum that began to take over the rhythm of Bonnibel's heart with its own insistent beat.

"What ever is that sound?" Princess Celia asked as they neared the back door that led out to the gardens.

"That, your Majesty, is the special entertainment that the Duke booked for tonight," Cashew Butler replied as he reached the door, grabbed the handle and turned to them. "Now, without any further ado, Princess Celia, Lady Bonnibel," he threw the door open, "Welcome to the Nut Ball!"

The gardens were completely different from how Bubblegum remembered them. The stately rows of peanut plants and winding rambles designed for relaxation and meditation were gone. They had been replaced by a huge open square where Candy People of all shapes and sizes were dancing wildly to the pounding beat that had intensified the moment the door was opened. Awed by the changes, Bubblegum stepped forward. A smorgasbord of sweets, confections, and treats was laid out at the far end of the square, and on the right, petite tables covered in neat white linens were arranged in a pleasingly patternless scattering. On each, a small candle set in a nut-shaped glass holder cast a subdued glow. From her vantage point on the terrace, the irregular orbs of light resembled a flock of fireflies holding itself aloof from the rest of the activity. It was enchanting.

Beyond the line of tables, the rest of the gardens stretched into the darkness. Hanging peanut-shell lamps provided the only tethers of gentle luminescence over the hedges, pathways, and benches. Bonnibel couldn't see it, but she knew from experience that deep within the confines of the gardens, at the center of those winding pathways, was a wooden gazebo surrounded by hazelnut trees.

Suddenly Bubblegum felt a hand on her shoulder and she squeaked slightly in surprise, a sound which was lost in the general din. She turned to find her mother clutching at her as the Candy Princess watched everyone dancing with shining eyes. "This music is so... energetic!" Celia shouted gleefully, leaning close to be heard over the oddly harmonious layers of rhythms and chord progressions. Before Bubblegum could nod in agreement, Celia hiked up the hem of her dress and ran down the steps to join the writhing crowd of dancing Candy Citizens.

Bubblegum stared after her for a moment and then shook her head at her mother's antics. Her attention was then drawn to the wooden stage that dominated the left end of the square. The construction of the stage was rough, or else it was intentionally made to look like shoddy craftsmanship, and it stood out from the delicate and deliberate arrangements of the rest of the decor. It was some kind of modified proscenium style stage. Though it lacked the proscenium arch that gave that style of stage its name, Bubblegum was certain that the audience was only meant to view it from the front. Large speakers stood like sentinels on the left and right ends, and spotlights hung like bats from beams that supported the top. The lights were dim and irregular, and did a better job of obscuring rather than fully revealing the figures on stage.

The musicians themselves were even rougher-looking than the stage they stood on, and they played on strange devices that looked like mutated cousins of instruments that Bubblegum was more familiar with. A skeleton sat at a collection of different drums that all seemed to be part of a whole, considering the way he was flailing at all of them. His rhythm was remarkably steady, though his technique hardly appeared conducive to producing a measured beat. A ghost and a zombie held modified lutes hung from straps around their shoulders. The lutes had only 6 strings, but perhaps their long necks allowed them to achieve the same range of notes as their brethren. Finally, a second skeleton manned what looked to be a pair of pianos stripped of everything but their keyboards. They must have been computerized in some way for Bubblegum could clearly hear the piano notes coming through the speakers, though there were no hammers or strings involved.

All of the whistling choirs and string orchestras in Ooo could not have prepared Bubblegum for music such as this! It was wild, it was disorderly and unorthodox, and strangely enough, Bonnibel was thoroughly enjoying it.

And underneath the music from the lutes, the pianos, and the drums, that pounding, insistent thrum that rattled Bubblegum's very bones persisted. Bubblegum moved over to the edge of the terrace and leaned against the railing to get a better look, her foot tapping unconsciously along with the music. She eyed the musicians on-stage carefully, but none of their motions seemed to match up with the pulse of that beat. Then a movement in the shadows above the spotlights drew Bubblegum's eye and she realized that a figure was concealed in the flyspace above the stage. The mysterious musician in the rafters must be responsible for that driving beat.

And then on some hidden cue, the music swelled to a deafening crescendo, mirrored by an ecstatic roar of appreciation from the dancing Candy People. The music drove faster and faster to some breaking point that Bubblegum couldn't even fathom. She realized that she was shouting as well, jumping up and down and leaning over the railing, caught up in the frenetic energy of the performers. The shadow player hurled out of the rafters as the music hit its heart-pounding conclusion and landed center stage. As one, the band played their final note and let it ring out into the night.

The mystery musician remained hunched over their instrument for a long moment, then slowly stood up straight. It was a woman. A tall, pale woman with a mane of coal-black hair that reached nearly to her feet. She was dressed as no woman in Bubblegum's limited experience had ever dressed, wearing flat black and white shoes, ripped black jeans, a red-stained gray shirt and leather jacket. She looked out over the cheering crowd before her and grinned, releasing her hold on her Axe-shaped instrument. She pushed a long strand of hair out of her face and tucked it behind one pointed ear before releasing her own exultant yell and pumping her first into the air.

Bubblegum was transfixed.

The mystery player grabbed the microphone. "CANDY PEOPLE!" She shouted, energy positively pouring out of her. "Are you having a good time?"

The answering cheer from the crowds below made her grin even wider. "Well that's good to hear cause we're having a good time too!" Her voice was low and rich, and being so close to one of the huge speakers on the stage made Bubblegum feel like she was drowning in it. "We've got another song for you guys, do you want to hear it?" Another cheer, and this time Bubblegum joined in, yelling at the top of her lungs and waving her arms around in her enthusiasm. Drawn by her movement, the mystery player glanced over. For a moment, her eyes lingered on Bubblegum, and the Candy Heiress met her gaze and found she couldn't breathe.

Then the woman looked away. Bubblegum drew in a quick breath and felt blood rushing to her cheeks in a furious blush. What in Ooo had just come over her? The mystery musician turned to her band, "I guess they want to hear it!" She called out to them. She played a couple opening notes and the rest of the band picked up the beat, launching into the beginnings of a new song. The woman faced the crowd again, her eyes scanning over it and flicking over to Bubblegum for another brief instant.

"All right Candy People get ready!" She shouted into the mic, "This one's for the Duke of Nuts!"


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: **My apologies for the long wait. Midterms are coming up and I have a lot on my plate this semester. Still, I would prefer to get something up at least once a week, so I'll do my best to stick to that goal. Happy reading!

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><p>"This one's for the Duke of Nuts!"<p>

Bubblegum froze. She had been bouncing up and down, eager to hear what the band was going to play next. Her eyes were still riveted on the mystery musician, but now she was staring in shock. In all the excitement, she had nearly forgotten about Walter. But those words had been like a bucket of cold water to the face. There was no way she was going to forget now.

Suddenly irritated, Bubblegum crossed her arms and turned away from the stage in a huff. She'd been moping about Walter non-stop for the past 2 months. Glob, she just wanted to stop thinking about that dumb butt for a few seconds! Was that really so much to ask? Apparently it was.

Even the act of listening to a new kind of music, from a group of musicians she'd never seen before in her life, brought her back to Walter somehow.

She sourly examined the tables arranged on the far side of the square, trying to gauge which one would denote 'Leave Me Alone' the best. If the world wasn't going to let her stop moping, she was just going to sit down, grab the biggest bowl of pudding she could find**,** and spend the rest of the night wrapped up in her own negative thoughts.

But as she went to take the first step towards the tables, a new instrument suddenly joined the music behind her, weaving itself into the intricate layers of sound. It was a voice, low and rich and definitely female, and Bonnibel recognized it instantly as the mystery musician began to sing behind her:

"_Hey Duke of Nuts_  
><em>I know you think I'm the girl for you<em>,  
><em>I know you think I'm kinda rad<em>,  
><em>And my music's cool too"<em>

Bubblegum turned back towards the stage and her gaze fell upon the singer. She was standing close to the mic, eyes closed as her fingers glided over her instrument, as if picking out the correct notes from memory, or instinct, or some kind of sixth sense. It was a display of considerable and admirable skill. And for some reason, the fluid dance of the musician's hands over her instrument was making it difficult for Bonnibel to breathe.

"_Yeah, we're pretty good friends_,  
><em>And sure you're kinda cute<em>.  
><em>But I just gotta tell you Duke,<em>  
><em>That I can't marry you<em>"

Wait. WHAT? The trance Bubblegum had been under suddenly shattered.

Her mind stumbled and tripped, paused... then struggled to catch up and comprehend what she had just heard. Was this woman really saying what Bubblegum THOUGHT she was saying? Walter had proposed? To _her_?

No. There was no way. Bonnibel must have misheard. She leaned forward over the railing in an unconscious effort to hear the performance better, though logically, she knew it was ridiculous. Another few inches wouldn't make any appreciable difference, as she was already standing quite close to one of the giant speakers.

"_Yeah the marrying scene_  
><em>Isn't right for this Vampire Queen<em>.  
><em>Oooh it's just not right for me<em>  
><em>Hey Duke you gotta see"<em>

Well. Apparently Bubblegum was hearing just fine. An unpleasant emotion began churning in the pit of Bubblegum's stomach. It was hot and bitter, and it left a bad taste in her mouth. She crossed her arms, frowning slightly, as the singer launched into the next verse.

"_You should get back out there_  
><em>Find some awesome nut girl<em>,  
><em>Cause I can rock you parties<em>  
><em>But she should rock you world<em>

_Let's go back to being friends dude_  
><em>That's the way it oughta be<em>,  
><em>Cause you gotta stay in your Duchy<em>  
><em>And I gotta stay free<em>

_Yeah the marrying scene_  
><em>Just isn't right for this Vampire Queen<em>.  
><em>Hey Duke get off your knee<em>  
><em>You're just not right for me"<em>

The singer stepped back slightly as the music swelled and took precedence over the lyrics, the whole band launching into a much more instrumentally complicated portion of the song.

Bubblegum uncrossed and recrossed her arms, not quite sure how to deal with the jealous anger that was simmering sulfurously in her stomach and spreading to her chest, which tightened painfully in something suspiciously close to sorrow. She didn't want to deal with sorrow. She furiously fought down the tears that were beginning to prickle at the corners of her eyes and retreated into anger.

How could Walter have proposed to this... this Vampire Queen? She wasn't even a Candy Person! And if she was, she would probably be liquorice, considering all the black she was wearing. And nobody in the Candy Kingdom liked liquorice. Not even the Liquorice People liked liquorice. Honestly, what could this Vampire Queen have that she didn't?

With a disdainful sniff, Bubblegum began to appraise the singer again, this time with a critical eye. She was determined to find some kind of flaw.

The woman turned back slightly to face her band. The players seemed to be watching each others carefully for cues, presumably so that they remained in sync during this complicated part of the song. Bubblegum homed in on the woman's open leather jacket that revealed her stained gray shirt, then on to her ripped leather jeans. Hah! There, that was something. She was sloppy and dirty, and obviously didn't give much thought to a presentable appearance. Although... that could just be the style demanded by the genre of music she was playing.

That was an easily tested hypothesis. Bubblegum examined the rest of the band's attire as well. They were similarly dressed in dirty, ripped clothing. And though five scruffy musicians made for a woefully inadequate random sampling, they provided sufficient evidence. The hypothesis that their genre of music required poorly-kept clothing was acceptable. And if that was the case, Bubblegum couldn't say with any certainty that dirty clothes reflected a sloppy personality.

Bonnibel's eyes fell again on the woman's hands. Her fingers seemed to waltz over the strings of her instruments with ease and precision. Bubblegum's frown deepened. There was no way she could say that the musician was unskilled either.

As Bonnibel watched, the woman hunched over her instrument and began to play a particularly complex progression of notes. Her long hair fell forward across her shoulders to frame her pale features, and even though her eyes focused intensely on the strings underneath her fingers, she was grinning hugely, obviously enjoying herself. Bonnibel swallowed with difficultly and licked suddenly dry lips, her anger momentarily forgotten. It would be the worst lie of all to try to say that this woman wasn't beautiful.

As Bubblegum's eyes traveled up and down the woman's thin frame, a new kind of heat pooled in her stomach, displacing the anger. Unlike the anger, this heat traveled to Bubblegum's cheeks and she felt herself blushing furiously. She finally tore her eyes away from the Vampire Queen and took a deep, unsteady breath. She was more than a little tired of her traitor body doing all these things without her consent.

Movement on-stage grabbed her attention again, and the woman stepped back up to the mic as the music softened.

"_Yeah Duke get off your knee_,  
><em>You're just not right for me"<em>

Another surge of anger.

"_Take your ring and see_,  
><em>You're just not right for me."<em>

The band struck its last note and then stilled. The watching Candy People rushed to fill the void with cheers and applause and whistles of appreciation. The singer grinned and glanced over to the veranda where Bubblegum was standing. Her lingering gaze sent that other heat spinning dizzily through Bonnibel's body, and she turned away from the singer quickly, utterly baffled by the confusing tangle of emotions she was experiencing.

"Thank you Candy People!" The Vampire Queen called out. Bonnibel turned back cautiously and saw that the singer was no longer looking her way. "We'll be back a bit later to play some more cool jams for you guys!"

As one, the members of the audience let out a disappointed "Awww!" Bubblegum saw that the members of the band were indeed stepping down from the stage. The drummer skeleton put his drum sticks down, the pianist skeleton stepped away from his keyboards, and the ghost and the zombie laid their lutes down on stands designed specifically for holding them, judging by their shape.

"Hey, don't worry guys, we'll be back!" The singer promised, sliding her own Axe-shaped instrument on its strap so that it was hanging across her back. "But right now, the Duke of Nuts has some stuff to say, so here he is!" The Candy People in the square broke out into applause as the Vampire Queen left the stage.

Bubblegum had a slightly less favorable reaction, mostly one of _GET OFF THE VERANDA!_ She was highly visible where she was, and she didn't want Walter to know she was there. Not with the information she had just learned and the confusion it was creating within her still sitting heavily on her shoulders.

She whirled about and ran to the steps just as Walter became visible off the side of the stage. He climbed the first step while Bubblegum began racing down the long flight of stairs to the square below. He was climbing slowly, she was nearly sprinting, and he was halfway up as she was halfway down. Through some strange coincidence of timing, he reached the stage at the precise moment Bubblegum reached the ground. By the time he was at the mic, Bubblegum had integrated into the back of the crowd.

Bubblegum moved through the throng, working her way over to a group of pink frosting Cupcake People who were standing close to the back of the square near the long table of treats. She could hear Walter clearing his throat, but she didn't stop moving until she was safely behind the Cupcake People. Then she turned, panting slightly from the run and the sugar-rush of adrenaline pumping through her veins. She didn't even have time to laugh at her own fight-or-flight response, which did seem rather ridiculous now that she was safe, before Walter had begun whatever speech he had planned for this evening.

"Hello everyone, are you having a good time tonight?" He asked, doing a poor imitation of the Vampire Queen before him. He lacked her energy and confidence, and the gathered Candy People all clapped politely, but without the enthusiasm they had for the musician that had just exited the stage.

"Ok, well, good, that's good to hear," he said awkwardly, his eyes darting across all the faces staring up at him. He cleared his throat again, clearly uncomfortable. Bubblegum almost felt sorry for him. Walter really disliked public speaking and putting himself forward, and here he was addressing the entire population of the Candy Kingdom following the act of a talented and charismatic musician.

Then she remember that he had PROPOSED to that same talented and charismatic musician, and her sympathy died quickly. He couldn't have known the singer of the band before their breakup. Bonnibel would have known if he had met someone outside of the Candy Kingdom. So he must have proposed to her after knowing her for barely two months, and THAT was on the heels of breaking off their two-and-a-half-year relationship for reasons that were soundly practical, but did little to make Bonnibel feel any better about the whole thing.

"Ahh, so you all are enjoying Marceline and her Undead Band?" He queried timidly. This time the cheers and the applause were thunderous.

So her name was Marceline. Marceline the Vampire Queen. It had a wonderful ring to it, and Marceline was a beautiful name. Bonnibel was struck with another set of conflicting emotions. The side that saw Marceline as some kind of rival was annoyed that it couldn't even find fault with her name. The side that was... intrigued by the vampire was filled with giddy excitement over learning the mysterious stranger's name.

"Well that's really great," Walter continued, "I hoped you all would like her music. I know I sure do." He looked away and rubbed at his arm. Bubblegum caught sight of Cashew Butler making encouraging motions from the side of the stage. She felt another pang of sympathy, quickly throttled.

Walter turned back to the mic and squared his shoulders, seeming to screw up his courage for what he had to say next. "Right well, see I made a promise to Cashew Butler that I would have an announcement ready for you all tonight. I was supposed to... to announce my engagement... but well... umm... you all probably realize that I just received some unfortunate news regarding that..." he broke off again as the audience started laughing.

Bubblegum wasn't laughing, however. The anger and jealousy that had died down a bit flared back to life and she crossed her arms again, holding herself rigidly and drumming her fingers impatiently on her arm. If Walter was going to deliver bad news, he needed to just spit it out. He always used to act the same way when they were dating. He'd get all wishy-washy and apologetic, and he would stumble over his words. It had been endearing at first, but it had gotten old fast. When he was breaking up with her, it took him over an hour just to get the words out.

This new, 18 year old Walter was no different from 16 year old Walter. He was a little taller, a little broader, and dressed in the official dress of the Duke of Nuts, with the red cape and beret that denoted his title, but he was the same Walter on the inside. And suddenly, that was absolutely INFURIATING to her.

Meanwhile, the audience had quieted back down. "Right, so, umm... is... is Lady Agatha of Peanut somewhere in the crowd?" Walter asked, sounding like he REALLY didn't want to know the answer to that question. Almost immediately, a brown hand shot up in the crowd and someone, presumably Agatha, began jumping up and down. Walter laughed nervously and made a jerky 'come here' motion. "Would you please join me on stage, my Lady?" He was trying to sound formal, but his voice cracked slightly over 'my Lady.'

As the crowd shifted and scrambled to let the Lady through, Bubblegum wracked her brain trying to remember everything she knew about Agatha of Peanut. Peanut was the most important Barony within the Duchy of Nuts, that much she knew. Four of the five major peanut butter mines were on the lands held by the Baron and Baroness of Peanut. Further, they owned nearly all of the refineries that turned the peanut butter into peanut brittle, which was the Duchy of Nuts' primary export. But what about Agatha herself? After another moment of thought, Bonnibel placed her. She was the second child and oldest daughter of the current Baron and Baroness. Still, Bonnibel had the strangest feeling that she had met the Lady in person before.

The Lady in question finally made it out of the crowd and raced up the steps of the stage. She slowed to a walk on the stage itself, perhaps trying to project an air of decorum. As she reached Walter at the microphone, she curtsied. Walter bowed in return, and then the Lady Agatha looked out over the assembled Candy People.

Bubblegum jerked as though stung when she saw Agatha's eyes. They were uncomfortably large and catlike, and the had a slightly wild look about them. The sight of those eyes suddenly illuminated the memory Bubblegum was searching for. She remembered meeting Agatha long ago at another ball, and being absolutely certain that the girl was out of her mind. She could, and did, stare at someone, unblinking, for hours on end. It was creepiest thing Bubblegum had ever seen, and she had vowed to herself to never get caught alone in a room with the Agatha if she could help it.

Bonnibel had a terrible, nagging suspicion about what Walter wanted with the lunatic, which she desperately hoped was not true.

"So... my Lady Agatha, I suppose you're wondering why I called you up here..." Walter hedged, beginning to pat at his pockets, searching for something.

"I know what's going on Duke. The nuts told me," was Agatha's demented reply. She was staring at him as he searched his pockets, her large, unblinking eyes focused on his face.

"Yes, well, ah... since... since I can't seem to find..." Walter was now patting his pockets desperately, sweating nervously under the scrutiny of so many watchers. "Ah... ok. We'll just have to do this then." He slowly, reluctantly dropped to one knee, Agatha's penetrating gaze following him as he knelt.

Bonnibel suddenly felt numb. He was going to do it. Oh my Glob. _He was going to do it._

"Lady Agatha of Peanut," He began, taking her hand, "I... uh... know it's sudden. I know we don't know each other that well. And I can't seem to find my ring... but still... umm... Will you marry me?"

The entirety of the Candy Kingdom held its breath.

"Yes. Yes I will Duke of Nuts. It is as the nuts foretold." Agatha replied gravely. For another moment, everything remained silent and still as the Duke stood just as slowly as he had knelt. Then he leaned forward and kissed her cheek, and the enormous crowd erupted in cheers.

Then Cashew Butler came running onto the stage bearing the box with the ring that the Duke of Nuts had been searching for. The Duke laughed nervously and the crowd laughed along with him as he took the box, took out the ring, and slid it onto Agatha's finger. All the Candy People began cheering again. All but one.

At the back of the sea of Candy People that had just witness the most awkward marriage proposal in history, the heir to the Candy Throne stood in complete and utter disbelief. She stared at the Duke. Then she stared at the future Duchess. Then she stared at the cheering crowd around her. And finally she looked down at herself. Her hands clenched into fists and she turned away from the stage. She was trembling now. She wasn't sad, she wasn't angry. She didn't know what she was. She started walking.

She walked past the celebrating Candy People, past the table of sweets, and paused for a moment at the entrance to the gardens. She almost looked back. Almost. Then she shook her head and started moving again, disappearing quickly into the darkness of the gardens.

::::::::::::::::::::::

A pair of eyes near the stage watched her go, one eyebrow raised in question. A pale hand brushed a strand of long black hair our of an equally pale face. Marceline the Vampire Queen made a quick decision and followed after her.


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's** **Note:** Sorry for the long wait everyone. Midterms kicked my ass and I spent a little more time on this chapter than usual. But excuses aside, here you go!

* * *

><p>Once Bubblegum was past the outer line of hedges, the light and sound from the Ball was swallowed by the thick, well-cultivated brambles. She pressed deeper into the maze quickly, not looking back. Left, right, straight, left again… by her fifth turn, the Ball may as well have been a rumor carried by the wind. The cheering, raucous crowd was muted to a distant murmur of sound. Occasionally, a particularly persistent bubble of laughter wormed its way over the high hedges and made it to Bubblegum's ears. Each time that happened, Bubblegum's shoulders hunched further against the unwelcome intrusion and her jaw clenched, but she continued moving.<p>

If Bubblegum had been in the mood to appreciate beauty, she would have found the gardens to be stunning. Her quick footsteps echoed off of broad peanut brittle pathways that were wide enough for four people to walk side-by-side. The scent of some unknown flower, sweet and subtle, threaded its way through the restless night air. And peanut-shell lamps hung from tall black lamp-posts spaced evenly along either side of the path. They didn't provide much light – they were spread too far apart to be really effective – but they cut through just enough of the gloom to cast the entire maze in a soft ethereal glow.

Still, it wasn't all twists and turns and dim lighting. Every so often, Bubblegum passed an alcove. Each one was a small circle of lamps and benches surrounding a fountain. Warm light and the gentle chuckle of flowing water spilled out of each nook, inviting Bubblegum to step inside and forget her worries. But she continued by each one, almost afraid of stopping.

For Bubblegum knew that when she stopped, her thoughts and her emotions would catch up with her. They hovered just out of reach, like a storm on the horizon. Now was calm before the storm. Without thought, without feeling, Bubblegum's passage through the semi-darkness was mechanical. Straight, right, straight, left, left. At each new fork and split, her feet decided which path to take without any conscious prompting. Bubblegum strode deeper into the gardens and let her mind remain blissfully blank.

Then suddenly, the peanut brittle path took one final turn and ended at the edge of a large expanse of grass. Bonnibel came to an abrupt halt and realized where her feet had been taking her all along.

In front of her was a glade, a perfect circle of grass enclosed on all sides by the hedge, except for the opening where Bubblegum was now standing. A ring of hazelnut trees grew inside the briar, each one thin enough for Bubblegum to wrap her arms around. The trees were shorter than the surrounding brambles and the branches of each mingled with their neighbors. Here, there were no lamps. Instead, a thousand tea lights, set in glass orbs shaped like walnut shells, hung on invisible gossamer threads from every branch of every tree. They bobbed gently with the eddies of the evening breeze, causing the light to swirl and shift in endless patterns.

And of course, at the very center of the glade was the Hazelnut Gazebo.

The Candy Lady stood frozen at the end of the pathway, unexpectedly ensnared by the beauty before her. Entranced, she kicked off her shoes and left them by the edge of the pathway, then stepped onto the grass. It was every bit as soft and lush as it looked.

Bonnibel walked slowly forward, another breeze picking up and swirling down inside the glade. The breeze tugged at her hair and dress, bringing the scent of grass and the rich, sweet smell of hazelnut oil, which was doubtlessly coming from the candles. She looked up as she passed underneath the branches of two trees. The lights floated above her, rocking gently on their swaying branches. She had been to the center of the maze on several occasions, but never at night. Was it always this breathtaking?

And then, from somewhere far away, the faint sounds of music came drifting in on the wind. It seemed as though Walter was done on stage, and the band was starting up again. Reluctantly, Bubblegum looked over her shoulder and gazed down the dark pathway, back towards the Ball. What had just happened back there? What was Walter doing? How could he have chosen _her_? Why did he seem so desperate to secure a wife? Why couldn't he just _tell _Bubblegum what was going on? Didn't he realize how painful it was to see all of that?

The anger and confusion and hurt swelled up inside her like a rising tide, threatening to overwhelm her. For a moment, Bonnibel almost let it. She was alone here, and sound didn't seem to carry well through the hedges. She could cry and scream and curse Walter and let it all out. She wouldn't even have this kind of privacy back at the castle. It was tempting. More than that, it felt necessary. Her raw feelings demanded some kind of release. But Bubblegum knew that giving in to such negative feelings would cloud her mind and her judgment. She needed answers more than she needed to indulge her emotions.

So Bonnibel took a deep, cleansing breath and pushed back her feelings. What she needed now was a moment to think and to collect herself. She turned away from the music and stepped out from underneath the trees, further into the glade. In front of her, the gazebo stood patiently, exactly the kind of quiet place she needed. And it was highly unlikely that she would be disturbed here.

Bubblegum walked up to the gazebo and placed her hand on the smooth wood of the railing as she climbed the three steps into the edifice. The Hazelnut Gazebo had always fascinated her. It was made entirely of wood, not from peanut brittle or rock candy like everything else in the Candy Kingdom. It was moderately sized, octagonal in shape, and it had a peaked, circular roof that ended just a bit below the hazelnut trees surrounding it.

Between the roof and the floor, the bottom half of the gazebo was slatted railing, while the top half was left open to the air. A bench ran the whole length of the inside, minus the entryway. It was a rather simple arrangement. Nothing was really extraordinary about it except for the fact that every inch of the pale wood had been sanded down until it was butter-soft to the touch. It was a rare and unusual design decision in the Candy Kingdom, and Bubblegum never tired of running her hands along the railing, or the bench, or the pillars. The feeling of soft wood-grain underneath her palms was oddly soothing.

She found it especially soothing now. The Candy Lady took a seat on the bench immediately to the right of the entrance and leaned back against the railing with a sigh. She idly began running her hands along the surface of the bench, reaching an almost meditative state from such simple, repetitive motions.

Looking around, she saw that the gazebo was also decorated for the night. The same walnut shaped candles that hung from the trees twisted around each pillar in spirals. The smell of hazelnut was thicker here, though not overpowering. It was more relaxing than anything else.

Bonnibel closed her eyes. She needed this calm. She needed to clear her head. She needed to readdress this situation with clinical detachment. She would examine all the sides, thoroughly investigate all the possibilities, and determine _why_ Walter was doing all this crazy junk. She couldn't do that in the midst of emotional turmoil. She needed to put aside her anger, her pain, her wounded pride, her uncertainty, and her frustration. She _would_ do it. She would push aside all of these confusing, inhibiting emotions that robbed her of her ability to _think _properly and…

"Hey."

Bubblegum stiffened and her eyes flew open, only to find the upside down face of Marceline the Vampire Queen looming mere inches above her own. Bonnibel let out a startled yelp, nearly falling over. As it was, she scrambled to the side quickly, her heart pounding rapidly from the sudden fright.

Marceline was casually stretched out in the air, floating – floating! – calmly on her stomach as she watched Bubblegum move away from her. She was clearly amused by Bubblegum's reaction, but she didn't laugh. However, her amusement _did_ turn into a full-blown grin as Bubblegum continued to stare, at a complete loss for words.

"Come on, I'm not _that_ scary, am I?" The vampire asked. "I wasn't even trying to freak you out." She paused to blow a strand of hair out of her face."Well, ok I was trying a _little_ bit," she admitted, "But it was just for a laugh. You looked pretty stressed out so…" she shrugged.

Bubblegum was still trying to get her scrambled thoughts together to _say _something to the woman, but it was like her brain had shut down completely. Her heart was still pounding wildly and her mouth had gone dry. She swallowed with difficultly and forced herself to say _something_.

"You… you're Marceline," she managed faintly. The vampire's amused grin turned into a smirk. She glided around so that she was in front of Bubblegum and resting comfortably on nothing.

"That's right. I guess you've heard of me," she said boastfully, not-so-subtly striking a pose.

And just like that, Bubblegum's wits returned. She found herself fighting back laughter at the towering self-confidence of the musician in front of her. "To be honest, no, I didn't know about you before tonight," Bubblegum confessed, suppressing a giggle.

"Oh." the vampire visibly deflated, looking crestfallen.

"But you were very good!" Bubblegum assured her quickly, "I've _never_ heard music like that before! It was so exciting and… and exhilarating!" The vampire perked up again, her easy grin sliding back into place.

"So you liked it?" She asked hopefully.

"I loved it!" She gushed, "All of those competing rhythms and strange harmonies, and your… your… what do you call it? Your lute-type-instrument?"

"My bass." the vampire supplied.

"Ah! Like in a string ensemble? Yes, I supposed that makes sense, it did produce a very low sound and seemed to fulfill a more supportive roll overall," Bonnibel mused. "But then what do you call those other lutes? The ones that played the melody?"

"Those are guitars," Marceline explained, her grin even wider now.

"Gui-tars." Bubblegum pronounced the new word slowly. "How interesting. And what about the set of drums that skeleton was playing?"

"A drum set." Marceline deadpanned.

Bubblegum looked at her for a moment then began to laugh. Marceline joined in and their laughter split the night, spilling out to fill the glade before getting swallowed by the surrounding brambles.

"Well, that seems rather obvious, now that I know," Bubblegum said as she calmed, still giggling a bit.

Marceline chuckled; "It was pretty funny…" she trailed off.

They both finally stopped laughing, and in the lull, faint strands of music reached Bonnibel's ears again.

"Wait, isn't that your band playing?" she inquired, looking back over her shoulder and leaning one arm on the railing.

"Yeah, that's them," the vampire agreed nonchalantly.

Bonnibel looked back to her in surprise. "Don't they… need you up there?" She questioned hesitantly. Perhaps she didn't understand this style of music as well as she thought, but she could have sworn that Marceline, being the vocalist AND the only bass player, was a fairly important player.

"Pfft, without a doubt!" Marceline laughed, looking over Bubblegum in the direction of the stage as well. "But they'll get along ok without me for a bit. The ghost is a decent bassist and the zombie has a surprisingly good singing voice. He sings backup for a couple of our songs, but I've been trying to get him to take a song or two for a while now." She fell silent for a moment, still staring past the Candy Lady. "What's your name?" She asked suddenly, focusing back on her companion.

"That's right, I completely forgot, how rude of me!" Bubblegum exclaimed, smacking herself lightly in the forehead. She stood and walked over to Marceline and held out her hand. The vampire shifted and put her feet under her, descending so that she was standing on the ground. Even without floating, she was still a few inches taller than Bubblegum was.

And now, standing so close to her, looking up into her eyes, that same heat came rushing back into Bubblegum's stomach and lit up her cheeks with a faint blush. Marceline kept their eyes locked as she reached up and took Bubblegum's hand in her own. Bubblegum felt a strange thrill as their hands touched, and her breath caught ever-so-slightly.

"My name is Bonnibel Bubblegum," she said breathlessly, hoping Marceline couldn't hear how odd she sounded.

"Bonnibel? I like that," the vampire murmured, a faint tinge of red in her cheeks as well.

"And you're Marceline…"

"Just Marceline."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

They were still holding each others' hands. Somewhere along the line, they had stopped shaking, and now they were just standing there, hands clasped, looking at one another.

Bonnibel's heart was pounding again. Warmth was pooling in her stomach. Her cheeks were flushed. And then it clicked. She was _attracted_ to the Vampire Queen.

"Well!" The Candy Heiress quickly let go of Marceline's hand and retreated back to her seat, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Marceline," she said brightly, forcing her voice to sound normal and steady, and not like her insides were turning to jelly and her heart was threatening to hammer out of her chest.

"Yeah…" Marceline agreed, still looking at her speculatively. Bubblegum shifted nervously.

"So…" Bubblegum cast about desperately for something to say in the sudden awkward silence. "So why did you follow me here?"

For a moment, Bubblegum thought that Marceline hadn't heard her. The vampire looked at her for another few seconds, and then that tell-tale grin slid back into place. "You looked cute…"Bubblegum's heart leapt and her stomach twisted from a surge of anticipation and adrenaline, "…and I wanted to know why you were marching away from the stage," Marceline finished. And just like that, it all came crashing back down. The stage. Walter. The proposal. The song!

Bubblegum stood suddenly and turned away from Marceline, her anger rising again and displacing the feelings of attraction and amiability she had just had towards the vampire. Her hands clenched into fists.

"How could you not know?" She bit out, her tone suddenly harsh and accusatory. "You and Walter are close enough that he _proposes_ to you, but he never bothered to explain that he had just gotten out of a two and a half year long relationship?" She turned back around to glare at the suddenly bewildered vampire.

"Hey, woah, I had no idea!" Marceline protested, holding up her hands, "I mean, the Duke mentioned that he'd just gotten out of a relationship, but I had no idea that _you_ were…"

"And you knew each other, what, two _months_?" Bubblegum cut her off, "Why was he _proposing_ to you after two months!"

"How should I know?" Marceline fired back, "I was just being friendly to a fan, I barely KNOW the guy and then he proposed to me out of the blue last week. I saw you in the crowd, you know I turned him down, what are you getting so mad at _me_ for?" She demanded.

"I don't know!" Bubblegum shouted back at her, hot tears beginning to prick at the corners of her eyes. She turned around again so that Marceline wouldn't see them and tried to surreptitiously brush them away. This was just great. She… she was attracted to Marceline, and on top of that she genuinely _liked_ her. And now because of this _stupid_ stuff with Walter she was acting like an _idiot_ and probably destroying any chance that Bubblegum had to…

A hand on her shoulder caused her to jump.

"Are you ok?" Marceline asked softly behind her.

Bubblegum shook her head, not trusting herself to speak.

"Do you want to… you know, talk about it? Maybe without the yelling?"

Bubblegum didn't really want to face Marceline right now. Not after making such a complete fool out of herself. But she owed the vampire at least _some_ kind of explanation for her behavior. So she nodded and sat back down on the bench, looking down at her hands. Marceline slid next to her, close enough that Bubblegum was hyper-aware of her presence, but not close enough that they were touching.

A stiff breeze picked up then, cutting through the gazebo and tugging at Bubblegum's hair. She shivered slightly, and glanced over at Marceline when she sensed the vampire twisting around. The wind was stirring the vampire's wealth of hair and dragging stray strands across her face, but the vampire ignored them as she shrugged out of her leather jacket.

"No, please don't…" Bubblegum objected, miserable at being treated so kindly after acting like a complete ass.

"Don't worry about it. Vampires don't get cold. It's just for show," Marceline said firmly, wrapping the jacket around Bubblegum's shoulders. The jacket was still warm inside, and it felt wonderful after the chill of the night air.

"Thank you," Bubblegum whispered.

"Whatever. It's not a big deal. Now. Talk."

"Well… First off, I'm sorry I yelled at you. You didn't do anything to deserve that," Bubblegum began.

"Nah, it's cool," Marceline assured her, "I get it. You got some bad news and you walked off, wanting some privacy. You probably weren't expecting to deal with anyone right now."

"No especially not…"

"Me."

"Yeah. I just found out that Walter proposed to you and I… well I didn't think very kindly of you," Bubblegum admitted.

"I get that," Marceline said easily, leaning back. "So why did you two break up?"

"Because Walter's father died, and he became the new Duke of Nuts." Bubblegum sighed. "My mother said it's because we're at 'two different points in our lives now.' I understand that reasoning, I just can't figure out why he's acting so _strangely…_"

"And asking random girls to marry him?" Marceline suggested.

"Exactly. Why would he ask _you_ to marry him? No offense," Bubblegum added quickly.

"None taken," Marceline replied dryly.

"And… and why Agatha of Peanut?" She shuddered.

"The crazy girl?" Marceline asked.

"Thank you! I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks that. Everyone else seemed perfectly ok with Walter proposing to _her_. But for the life of me, I can't figure out _why_ he did it. It's like he's desperate to get a wife or something. I mean, I know he needs to marry someone eventually, but it's only been two months!" Bubblegum exclaimed, the ridiculousness of the situation beginning to pile up as she went over the facts again.

"Yeah that's pretty weird," Marceline paused then, as if choosing her next words. "I don't really know how it looked from the crowd," she said carefully, "But from where I was standing, the Duke didn't seem like he really _wanted_ to propose to anybody. And he didn't seem like he was all that enthusiastic when he proposed to _me_ either. When I turned him down, I thought I was doing him a favor."

Bubblegum considered that. "So then, there must be something compelling him to seek out a bride, is that what you're saying?"

"Yeah, that's basically it. I mean, how well do _you_ know Candy Kingdom laws?"

Bonnibel almost laughed. "Pretty well. I _am_ the heir to the throne, after all," she confessed.

"Woah, look at you!" Marceline grinned. "So you should know if there's any, like, mandatory matrimony laws or something, right?"

Bubblegum frowned in thought. "I don't think there are. At least, I've never encountered one. In fact, I'm sure there isn't one. My mother was single for quite a while before she married my father." Speaking of her mother… "But she _did_ say something to me… what was it… when she was trying to cheer me up earlier, she told me that Walter might be getting older soon because he needs an heir…" She trailed off. The pieces were falling into place…

"Wait what? He might be getting older soon? What does that mean?" Marceline queried, breaking into her thoughts.

"It's how Candy People age," Bonnibel explained absently, still thinking about her mother's words."Our physical age is related to our Candy Biomass, and, for royalty at least, you must be a certain age to reach certain milestones in life. As an example, you must be eighteen to assume the throne, twenty-five to marry, and thirty to have children. There are other important ones, but those are the big ones."

"Cool. How old are you, then?"

"I'm seventeen, the proper age for an heir that is fully prepared to assume the throne at any moment. I'm closer to ninety in human years, but those don't really count as much." She paused. "Walter was only sixteen. He wasn't prepared, really... Lord Humphrey's death was so sudden…" she broke off. "I don't think that there's a mandatory matrimony law," Bubblegum decided finally. "But I have a feeling that there's a mandatory heir law."

"That sounds funny," Marceline pointed out.

"It makes sense though!" Bubblegum exclaimed, sitting up and turning to face Marceline. The more she thought about it, the more certain she was that her hypothesis was correct. "There must be someone ready to assume the throne, or the duchy, or whatever in the event that the current Princess or Duke dies. Do you see? Walter is an only child. If he dies, then there are no immediate heirs for the throne to pass to. That's why he _has_ to marry someone, so that he can produce an heir!" She was waving her arms about in her excitement, the thrill of solving a puzzle making her giddy.

"No I get it, it makes perfect sense," Marceline agreed from her relaxed position against the rail, "I just think 'mandatory heir law' sounds really funny."

"Oh." Bubblegum said, the rug suddenly pulled out from under her feet as she realized that she didn't need to convince her companion of anything. Marceline grinned and met her eye, and Bubblegum saw that she was kidding with her. The cool confidence in Marceline's grin, her posture, and the way she spoke was having its effect again. Bubblegum could feel her heart begin to beat a little faster.

"Well, it sounds just as funny as 'mandatory matrimony law,' and _you_ came up with that one," Bubblegum teased back, smiling at the vampire.

Marceline tossed her head to get a stand of hair out of her eyes, "Yeah, whatever," she dismissed flippantly. But Bubblegum knew she wasn't serious.

"So… I guess Walter isn't acting as strange as I originally thought," Bubblegum conceded hesitantly, "But there's still something that's bothering me."

"Why go from proposing to the smoking hot, super talented Queen of the Vampires to the frumpy and creepy Queen of the Crazies?"

Bubblegum snorted. "Well, I wasn't going to put it like _that_…"

"You don't think I'm smoking hot?" Marceline asked innocently.

A brilliant red blush lit up Bonnibel's cheeks. "I didn't say that." she muttered, turning away from the vampire.

Marceline laughed, "Ok, ok, keep going," she said, still grinning as she watched Bubblegum squirm.

Bubblegum felt very self-conscious now. She cleared her throat, still not looking at Marceline. "Anyway… yes. We know he proposed to two wildly different people, but he also used two wildly different methods. There's no pattern. It's not even like he was proposing to every girl he met, because after failing with you, he specifically sought out Agatha from the crowd. Why would he do that?"

"Do you mean 'Why would he specifically pick someone out?' or 'Why would he pick crazy Nut Lady?'"

"Both. The second one more than the first, I guess," Bubblegum admitted.

"Yeah, she wouldn't be my second choice either," Marceline agreed. Bubblegum shuddered again. "Well Bonnibel, there's only one to find out what was going through the Duke's head when he was up on stage," Marceline asserted, getting to her feet and holding her hand out to Bubblegum.

"And that would be?" Bubblegum asked, taking Marceline's hand and letting the vampire pull her to her feet.

"We're gonna go ask him ourselves."


End file.
